Smoke and Mirrors
by Blue Quartz Foxy
Summary: AU: It seemed like magic, she mused, in awe of this transformation. Gingerly, pale fingers touched Madara's face. His eyes were once pitch black, but now she could see the red pupils. And then she shivered. This would change everything...
1. Prologue

Smoke And Mirrors

Notes: There is no excuse for this. Well...at least not a 'good' excuse. I was craving a Tobidara(Tobi-Madara, whatever you want to call him) and Hinata fic. However, it's next to impossible to pair these two for many, many reasons (none of which take into account that he's a madman bent on taking over the shinobi world). But, I want to try it anyway, if for no other reason than to say that I did.

Additional Note: This will take place pre-Naruto series, so it might also be considered AU to a certain extent. Expect a lot of amateur exploration into Japanese mythology, fan speculation, and a little distortion of facts for story-telling purposes.

Disclaimer: I do not own rights to anime/manga series Naruto. I just borrow the characters, I do however promise to put them back where I found them.

–

Prologue:

Spiritualist

–

A cupped palm shielded a flicking candle flame, only to blow it out. Wisps of smoke curled from the used wick, before vanishing into the atmosphere. The attendants milling around her, shuttered the windows, blocking out the light of a dying orange sun. Silk sleeves hid her stilled and folded hands. Even while being swallowed by darkness, she was serene and willing to embrace all. Yes, even the crouching shadows outside the temple.

The young girls turned to her, bodies dipping into brief yet deep bows, "Will that be all, Hyuuga-sama?"

Her opal-colored eyes closed for a moment, followed by a short pause "Yes. That is all, until tomorrow morning..." she uttered quietly. A wish for a pleasant evening for the attendants and an assurance she'd see them again at daybreak. That was her way. Being of few and carefully measured words, yet saying so much under the surface.

It never failed to amuse- and annoy- him. One always had to read between the lines with her. For example, she seemed to calm on the surface; but his eyes could read each nervous twitch of her fingers. Each pained and anxious look which never had a chance to settle to wrinkle her brow or purse her lips, before fluttering away in the face of judgment. Every miniscule detail she tried to hide from the priests of the Fire Temple, from the servants, and from herself; he saw it all.

His hearing also had to be faultless, since she spoke in such soft tones.

"...they're gone. You can quit lurking, my second shadow."

He smirked before reaching to move the window latch. The metal of his kunai blade clicked against the fastening as it lifted and opened the shutter. Her back was to him, long hair shinning black in the dimming sunlight.

After crawling inside, he closed the window again, leaving them in darkness.

"You even blew the candles out?" he chuckled, "Nope, you weren't expecting anyone at all."

She flinched under his touch as calloused fingers pulled through her long ponytail. Effortlessly, he gained the prize- a pure white ribbon.

"Oh, for me, my fair lady? You shouldn't have, I'm unworthy..." he teased while moving to pocket the ribbon.

The priestess whipped her body around, a fierce and possessive look in her pale eyes.

"Give that back!" the young woman hissed, reaching to snatch the hair tie back. He laughed, "Come on then, stand up and get it."

She snorted in response, but didn't get up from kneeling on the floor. Eyes closed, the priestess exhaled, inhaled, trying not to dwell too much on the imp that had invaded her room.

'Invaded? You 'invited' him in' the young woman reminded herself. With that in mind, she shivered. That's right, she had allowed him. Anything that happened next, would be partly her fault as well.

"I think you're scared" he whispered. The plates to his crimson armor clanked and clattered together as he squatted in front of her. Even with her eyes closed, she could picture him rocking back and forth on his heels. Always so impatient and child-like, this one. Well, when they were younger, he had always been like that.

Now...he was playful only with his words. Even then, everything he said or did, had a mixture of malice, bitterness, and danger to it. She couldn't trust a word he said- not that she could have before.

She sighed, 'At least he was an honest liar then. I could always tell when he was tricking me...'

Opening her eyes, the priestess stared right at him, yet still couldn't comprehend the Uchiha. So many events had unfolded in such a short amount of time. He had changed. Was she confused about him? Yes. Did she fear him? Now, that on the other hand was a loaded question.

And as she did with most things complicated and potentially harmful, she ignored the question. He wasn't satisfied with silence though. He never did stand for it, when she put up a silent stone wall.

The young woman stiffened as the satin ribbon caressed her right cheek, "Madara...stop that."

"Oh, so it can speak. And here I was about to declare this stone monument 'Priestess of...'what?"

Her fingers clenched tightly onto the ribbon, "You shouldn't be here."

A mocking pout formed on the man's lips, "Who let me in? Hn...let me think. Thinking...thinking...oh, it was you, Priestess-sama."

Touche. She'd admit to that, but not much else. He was too slippery and was in a mood to play. It wasn't a child's game though. He was all grinning white teeth, red eyes, armed and dressed in platted armor. This wasn't the boy she grew up with, the Hyuuga decided. No. This was a man constantly posed to do battle. This blood thirsty part of his personality, this needy grasp for power, did indeed scare her.

"Madara..." her palm curled around the ribbon, "you don't have to do this. Why can't you...simply let him become Hokage, let him rule. You have the Police Force, isn't that enough..."

The priestess's words were rudely cut into by a deep chuckle, "I can't be satisfied with letting him win."

She flinched as a cool hand cupped her palm, a thumb pressed to a blushing cheek, "Anymore than you can be satisfied with admitting you're a coward. You'd rather hide in this temple than face your own family. We both have our ways of doing things, Hinata."

Despite her resolve to remain pious and scolding, the young woman found herself being coaxed to her feet. How could he be so contradictory? His hands were rough from being a fighter, yet every touch was so gentle towards her. He laughed and joked like a boy; but there was the sourness of an old and jaded man that underlined everything which came from his mouth.

And...for being so irreverent towards the temple and to her position as the Priestess; Madara still respected her and their friendship.

Now standing, she could properly look him in the eyes. Those red eyes stolen from his brother. And even before that, were tainted by someone else's blood. At that point, the priestess had to look away, feeling disgusted with herself.

Madara wouldn't tolerate her attempts at remaining pure. His mouth descended then pressed to a pale cheek, while his hand eased the ribbon from between her fingers.

"Let me take this with me, Hinata-hime. I'll need all the good luck I can get."

Teeth pulled on her bottom lip, "You...you won't win. Madara, the Hokage is too strong. Even with the Kyuubi..." his hand pulled away, the ribbon with it. He was already standing at the window, ready to leave. Her words of caution had failed.

Another chuckle came from him, "Who said anything about 'winning'?"

She sighed again. Hinata had long since given up figuring out her puzzling friend. "Goodbye," was her reply, a farewell spit out in a mix of anger and fear. She knew what to expect from him and what she'd hear from him next. Which is why Hinata felt her world was turned upside down at his dead-serious tone.

With his back to her, he opened the shutters to escape for the last time, "Sayanora"

That word cut her as if his sword had caught her in the gut. By the time she felt warm summer air and sunlight on her face, her insides clench in anxiety. He would die tomorrow. Either for being a traitor by challenging the Hokage or...

The first tear fell without warning. It burned down her cheek and didn't have to a chance to cool before more followed. She had to force fists to curl into her red hakama, since beating the wall would get her nothing but concerned whispers and odd looks.

So much frustration directed at both Madara and herself. She tried to quiet the noises escaping tightly pursed lips, it was no use though. The best Hinata could do was to keep herself from outright wailing and saying how unfair his greed was. How much had they both paid, for the sake of Madara's thirst for power?

Too much.

Too many years.

Too many people.

And now, she'd stay here to constantly repent for the blood on her hands. Meanwhile Madara was allowed to escape it all, by dying at the hands of his rival. It didn't seem fair.

He was an idiot. Herself more so, for believing in a boy who said he'd conquer the world.

–

Notes: Weird and rather disjointed beginning. This is just the start though. Also, yes, I've changed it so that Hinata is living in Madara's time- when Konohagakure was just created as a ninja village. So yes, some time line finagling was involved. Hope you enjoyed reading it!


	2. Yukinko

Smoke and Mirrors

Notes: Long time no update, eh? ^^ This one will be rather short since there isn't a lot to do at this point -still plotting out what direction I want to take this in and all.

–

Chapter One

Yukinko

"There are no 'accidents'. Only Fate."

Hinata recalled that phrase often left her grandmother's lips. The old woman often told her stories of oni, spirits, and tricks the 'other world' played on humans. Of kitsune that licked oil bowls and nibbled on candle sticks. Of floating spirits that played pipes to lure children away. Bowing kappa and tengu that banged on drums.

But with each tale of fantastic animals, ghosts, or specters there was always an undercurrent of warning. A reminder of man's fragile state in a world of monsters and Fate.

One morning, Hinata woke up to spy both 'monsters' and Fate in motion. Pale pearl eyes reluctantly cracked open when the girl felt a chill. She moved to turn and fall back asleep, but her eyes snapped open once again when she heard footsteps just a few feet away from her futon. The girl jerked when she heard the door closed, more footsteps.

A tense moment passed, of her lying complete still and trying to keep from crying out. Trembling, the six year old had been told in the past that she was valuable to the clan. Someone might try to come and kill or kidnap her.

Muffling a whimper, Hinata curled deeply into the covers of her bed. Eyes squinted shut, she tried to keep breathing but it was an effort hindered by heavy winter blankets and panic.

Then, she heard a weak voice coming from the darkness.

"S-so cold"

That was a child's voice...sounded like a boy.

"Shh, quiet. We found an empty room, but someone might find us..."

Slowly, Hinata's head emerged from underneath the blankets. Since the oil lamp had been out for hours now, the girl couldn't see anything at first. She heard shuffling and the closet door opening. Eventually, she could see movement, namely blankets being taken from the room closet and dragged across the floor to a figure huddled in the corner.

Oddly enough, Hinata's thoughts shifted from kidnappers to...household spirits. Curiosity overtook caution as the girl did the one thing you shouldn't when it concerned spirits: call out to them.

"Who...who are you?"

Hinata couldn't hear anything. Then, a clammy hand came up and latched over her mouth. Pale eyes wide, she tried to scream around the palm, but all that got her was yet another hand slapped over the first.

The initial panic she felt at hearing the intruders, returned back to Hinata at full force. She grunted and tried to struggle, but the person holding hands over her mouth wasn't budging.

"Anki, stop! She's going to suffocate"

"But she'll scream owww!" the second boy yelped as teeth sank into his hand. "She...she bit me!"

–

A match fell onto the oil dish. A small burst of flame followed, light flickering and swaying as the girl raised it to look at the two who had invaded her room. Their hair were long and so dark the strands almost blended in perfectly with the shadows. The same applied to their eyes, as dark as hers were pale.

Hinata noticed the holes in their clothes and lack of shoes and came to one conclusion.

"Yukinko" she muttered, looking at the clumps of wet white in their hair.

"What? We're not oni!" the youngest protested, but his exclamation ended in a deep cough. Without thinking, Hinata raised the sleeve of her robe to her nose and mouth.

"Put that down. He's sick, but nothing that will kill you" the eldest boy said. Lowering the sleeve, Hinata raised the oil dish closer, in the firelight he did look pale but cheeks flushed as if fighting back a fever.

"If...you're not spirits. Then who are you? A-and where did you come from?" the girl asked in a timid tone.

The boys looked at each to each other, then to Hinata. The eldest snatched up a blanket and put it over his body.

"We're aren't spirits, but we are ghosts! Mawhahaha!" he said while getting on tip toes and arms out to spread the blanket out.

Hinata blinked while the youngest brother sighed and yanked the blanket off his sibling. "She doesn't believe you, Anki. And I don't really blame her..."

"Ah, Izuna...ruined my costume"

"So you're name is Izuna" the Hyuuga girl observed. The sick child nodded before covering himself with the second blanket. Next, Hinata looked to the older boy, who frowned in response and crossed arms over his chest.

"You're not getting my name. Wild horses couldn't drag it from me."

"Anki's is Madara" Izuna muttered before laying on the floor and rolling over to face the wall and away from the drafty door.

Hinata watched, amused as the elder brother scolded his sleepy brother.

"What did you have to tell her? Hmm? Answer me" Madara demanded at first, but pulled back and sulked when it appeared his brother was asleep.

Sitting across from the Hyuuga, Madara tilted his head to the left. Unconsciously, she mimicked the act, Hinata didn't know what it was about these boys, but they were curiosities. Two beings she couldn't be compelled to look away from. Madara tilted his head to the right and she followed the motion, again barely even aware of the mimic.

Madara was aware of it though. Grinning from ear to ear, the boy then crossed his eyes and stuck out his tongue, just to test to see if she'd follow along. Sadly, the girl came to her senses and just stared at him like the boy was crazy.

"Hhm, you're no fun" was Madara's final judgment on the girl before he turned to bum off a blanket from Izuna and left a very confused girl to wonder what they were doing in her room in the first place.

–

The next morning, Hinata woke up to find the two boys gone. Nothing was left behind of their presence because the servants had folded up and put the blankets back into the closet. It was as if she had imagined the whole thing.

A couple days passed and Hinata heard commotion coming from the front gate. A man was arguing with a Hyuuga guard. In his arms was a little boy wrapped from neck to toes in a worn blanket. His skin was so pale it almost looked blue.

"Please! My son...you can't just...no. No! Don't walk away! I need to get him some help. Five minutes with your healer and I'll leave, please!"

The little girl dared to come closer, edging around the gate. Her breath caught as the guard walked away and returned to his post. Squeezing against the wall in order to stay out of sight, Hinata with held a gasp as she saw recognized not only the unconscious boy, but the elder brother standing at the gate with his father.

'He looks very sick' Hinata thought. She glanced left and right, having to sneak through a crevice in the wall. Poking her head out the other side, Hinata had to twist funny so she wouldn't get stuck.

"Over here..."

The man at the gate turned, at first looking around to find the source of the voice before finally seeing Hinata.

"I...I can help you get inside to the healer."

–

"So...the little princess is ill" the old man muttered. His bones ached from arthritis set in thanks to the cold weather. "Not too surprising, this room is so drafty...what's this?"

Standing in the open door, the healer found not the Hyuuga heiress but three Uchiha males sitting in her room. Quickly, pale eyes darted about trying to find the heir. When he couldn't spot her that very instant, the man moved to exit the room and get help, but the oldest Uchiha moved first, on his feet and a kunai to the healer's throat.

"I don't want to hurt you..."

"HA! Could have fooled me" the healer began, trying to move his arms to form a hand sign, but the Uchiha had his hands pinned.

"I don't" the Uchiha gritted out. "It's my youngest son. He's sick and..." he swallowed thickly, "I'm afraid he'll die if he isn't treated."

The Hyuuga snorted, "That is none of my concern...what are you doing? No! Stop!"

–

Far removed from the 'negotiation' going on in her bedroom, Hinata was found by the eldest Uchiha brother. She was looking a frozen and empty fish pond, leaning over as if searching for signs of life underneath the ice.

Madara knew if he got caught wandering the Hyuuga compound, he'd be in deep trouble. However, he didn't think much about consequences, the boy wanted to find and thank Hinata.

He knew that if she hadn't lead him and his father through a back alley into the Hyuuga compound, Izuna might have died. However, Madara wasn't very good with expressing his gratitude, because he crept up behind the Hyuuga girl and pulled away from the pond, only to swing and let go of her hand. Hinata stumbled for a moment before collapsing back into pile of snow.

At first, all she could see was white snow around her and a gray sky above. Then, Madara's grinning face appeared.

"Now who's the 'snow oni'?" he asked, sticking his tongue out at the Hyuuga heiress.

–

Notes: Rather odd and brief I know, but I wanted to get the introduction of the main characters out of the way. More to come eventually.


End file.
